Hydraulic press



Feb. 17, 1970 E. A. LAFREN'IERE HYDRAULIC PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1968.

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INVENTOR EDGAR A. LAFRENIERE Jawa: & jaw-v UHU" rn-IL Fig.3

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Filed July 1o. 196s E. A. LAFRENIERE HYDRAULIC PRESS 2 Sheets-#Sheet 2 #we fk/Qms@ EDGAR A. LAFRENIERE United States Patent O 3,495,s27 HYDRAULIC PRESS Edgar A. Lafreniere, Rte. 3, Grafton, N. Dak. 58237 Filed July 10, 1968, SerLfNo. 743,872

fInt. Cl. B30b 1/32; B215 13/00 U.s. Cl. g- 226 6 claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to presses and related machinery and specifically to a hydraulic press.

Most hydraulic presses have a unitary rigid frame on which is axed or movable worktable or bed. One particular type has a press head which slides or rolls back to an inoperative position, to provide clear access to the work area. In working position the pressure load is carried through the slide or roller structure, necessitating very rugged construction of these parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The press described herein has an elongated work bed on which is mounted a roller carriage passingVV below the bed. On the carriage is an arch-like frame extending over the bed and carrying the hydraulic pressure head assembly. When pressure is applied the carriage is lifted against the bed, relieving the rollers of the load. The frame is vertically adjustable on the carriage to accommodate a variety of work and the hydraulic unit can be used to raise or lower the frame` to the required position. Return springs are coupled to the pressure head to raise the head after a pressure stroke, which permits the use of a simple single action jack for the hydraulic actuator. The press is operable at an infinite number of positions of the carriage along virtually the entire length of the bed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the press;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE'S is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the speccation and throughout the views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The press comprises, basically, an elongated bed 10, a carriage 12 mounted on the bed, a frame 14 supported by the carriage and a pressure head 16 suspended from the frame. A

Bed 10 has a pair of horizontal parallel side rails 18 made from steel channel with the flanges turned outwardly, the side rails being secured together by cross members 20 at the ends and by intermediate cross members 22 spaced as necessary. The bed is supported on legs 24 3,495,527 Patented Feb. 17, 1970 ICC secured below cross members 20 and reinforced by gussets 26, the lower ends of the legs having large feet 28 to support the press in a stable manner.

Carriage 12 comprises a pair of cross beams 30 secured at opposite ends in spaced parallel relation by outer end plates 32, and by tie plates 34 equally spaced a short distance inwardly from the outer end plates. Each tie plate 34 has a pair of upwardly projecting brackets 36 adjacent the cross beams, each bracket carrying a freely rotatable roller 38. The carriage is suspended below bed 10, with the rollers 3,8 riding on top of the lower anges of side rails 18, so that the carriage can roll the full length of the bed between legs 24. Clearance between the carriage and the underside of the bed is just sufficient for free longitudinal movement of the carriage.

The frame 14 is an arch-like structure having a pair of vertical side posts 42 joined at the top by double cross members 44 all of which may be of steel channel. At the lower ends the side posts have reinforcing plates 46 with vertically spaced holes 48 in coaxial pairs through the posts and reinforcing plates. The posts extend downwardly through the carriage 12 between end plates 32 and tie plates 34, straddling the bed 10, the tie plates having guide rails 50 spaced to hold the posts in vertical sliding alignment. End plates 32 and tie plates 34 have coaxially aligned holes 52 spaced to correspond with the holes 48, the frame being held in place by retaining pins 54 passed through the end plates, the reinforcing plates 46, the posts 42 and the tie plates on each side of the carriage. Two pins are shown on each side, but a single pin could be used depending on strength requirements. By providing additional holes 48 in the posts 42, the frame may be adjusted vertically as required and locked at each position by the pins S4. At the top of frame 14 the cross members 44 are connected by an upper web plate 56 and a lower web plate 58 to support the head 16.

The head comprises a rigid pressure plate 60, which is connected to the lower web plate 58 `by a hydraulic actuator 62 having a vertical operating stroke. Extending downwardly from upper we'b plate 58 and through the lower web plate are two struts 64, parallel to and spaced on opposite sides of the actuator 62. On top of pressure plate are upwardly extending sleeves 66 which are telescopically slidable over struts 64 and stabilize the head. The actuator 62 may be a dual action type but is shown as a simple single action type with the power stroke in the downward direction. The pressure connection 68 at the top of actuator 62 may be coupled to a manually pumped pressurizing unit, or a pressure reservoir with suitable return means, the speci-c type not being important. To raise the pressure plate after a stroke, return springs 70 are installed in sleeves 66 and are connected between pins 72 through the sleeves and pins 74 through struts 64. Coil type tension springs are indicated, but other spring arrangements may be equally suitable for contracting the telescopic elements.

In use the work piece 76 is placed on the bed 10, as indicated in broken line in FIGURE 4, and suitable support or mounting means being used as needed. The carriage and frame assembly may be rolled clear of the Work area to facilitate setting up, then rolled bac-k over the workpiece for the press operation. When the actuator 62 is operated, the pressure plate 60 is forced down on the workpiece 76, which causes the frame to be lifted slightly until the carriage bears on the underside of side rails 18, as in FIGURE 4. Rollers 38 are lifted clear of flanges 40 and carry none of the workin-g load the stress being applied through the closed rectangular structure of the frame and carriage. When the pressure is released the return springs 70 will lift the pressure plate 60 and the carriage will be lowered to rest again on rollers 38.

When it is necessary to raise or lower the frame 14 to accommodate a particular workpiece, the actuator 62 can be used to assist. With a suitable block or support in place on the bed 10, the pressure plate 60 is lowered to rest on the support and take the weight of the frame, so that retaining pins 54 can be removed. The actuator is then used to adjust the frame to the required position and the retaining pins replaced. Pressure is then relased and the press is ready for operation. Since the structure of even a small press is rather heavy, this is a distinct advantage.

The roller mounted carriage and frame assembly can be used at any position along the bed and is easily movable by hand.

Several pieces of work could be set up at different positions on the bed and the press unit moved to each in turn, or to several positions on a large piece of work.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made Without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic press, comprising:

an elongated bed having parallel side rails;

a carriage suspended below said bed and having supporting rollers riding on said side rails;

an upwardly arched frame secured to said carriage and straddling said bed;

and a vertically adjustable hydraulic actuator mounted on the underside of said frame, over said carriage and bed, said actuator having a pressure plate on the lower end thereof;

whereby the press is capable of compressing work placed between said pressure plate and said bed at an infinite number of positions of said carriage along the virtually complete length of said elongated bed.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said frame is vertically adjustable on said carriage.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said frame has vertical side posts, said carriage having guide means through which said posts are vertically slidable, and retaining means securing said frame at selected positions on said carriage.

4. The structure of claim 1, and including return means connected between said frame and said pressure plate, to raise the pressure plate when said actuator is inactive.

5. The structure of `claim 4, wherein said return means comprises telescopic struts secured between said frame and said pressure plate substantially parallel to the axis of said actuator, and contracting spring means in said struts.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein said carriage, as supported by said rollers, has portions thereof spaced very slightly below said bed enabling only limited freedom of upward motion of the carriage, whereby operation of said actuator causes the carriage to be lifted against the underside of said bed and relieves the load from said rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,881 10/1893 Kestler 100-226 2,439,725 4/1948 Frost 10G-226 FOREIGN PATENTS 749,181 5/1933. France BILL J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

